Socially focused economic policy remains priority for Tatarstan leadership

Socially focused economic policy remains priority for Tatarstan leadership. As President Mintimer Shaimiev stated in the interview to "Interfax", the motto of authorities - " to pursue the reforms with a human face ". " We did not recede from this principle even in hard years, and we shall use it in coming year ", - declared the head of republic.

Summing up finishing year, M.Shaimiev expressed satisfaction over social and economic development of Tatarstan. " All what was planned we have managed to realize. Tatarstan became the only subject of Russia where the program of continuous gasification is under way: by now there is no apartment house or settlement where a blue fuel " would not be coming, - Tatarstan leader said.

The following stage, he noted further, completion of gasification of social-cultural objects in the republic. Thus, as M.Shaimiev marked, all this is done due to financing from the budget of republic. " People, in whose houses gas has come, have today qualitatively new standard of living. Much was made in a leaving year in road construction. So, the bridge was constructed through the river Kama by length of 14.5 kilometers. This bridge has no analogues in Russia ", - M.Shaimiev stated. Besides, in a leaving year the base complex of the Nizhnekamsk oil refining factory equipped with the most hi-tech equipment was put into operation.

By M.Shaimiev's words, the program of "Outdated housing" kept going its way in 2002 as well. In the departed year the 25-thousand family received a new apartment in Kazan, and all over the republic new accommodation under this program have got more than 35 thousand families. " For the last year we have commissioned over 1,5 million square meters of housing. And in housing construction Tatarstan occupies steadily second - third place after Moscow, - M.Shaimiev informed. He added, that by the end of 2004 the problem of shabby housing liquidation in capital of the republic would be completely solved.

Last years, by words of Tatarstan leader, mass occupation by physical culture and sports in cities and a countryside is growing. The sports objects accessible for the population continue to be under construction. " Mass health improvement of our people is very important task for us ", - M. Shaimiev added.

Concerning the growth of real incomes of republic's residents, he informed, that for 10 months of leaving year these incomes have grown by 10,7 percents, and the level of pensions increased up to 11.6 percents. " In the republic we retain rather cheap price level on the basic food stuffs. Such a position we manage to achieve due to the state support for local agriculture. Leaving year became for us fruitful. W e have harvested 5 million 600 thousand tons of a grain at productivity of 35 centners from hectare ", - M.Shaimiev informed.

Due to this it became possible essentially to increase manufacture of meat and milk in the republic. By M.Shajmiev's words, Tatarstan remains one of leaders among major subjects of federation by level of domestic total product which in a leaving year made more than 250 billion roubles that allows to provide forming socially - aimed budget. " As we intended, by January 1, 2003 so we have reached that the salary over the republic gets 4 thousand roubles ", - Tatarstan leader added. At the same time, despite of obvious progress, rates of growth in the republic slowed down, and the tendency of decreasing investments in a fixed capital is observed. This parameter last years made about 50 billion roubles per a year.

" One of these days on the basis of the forecast of social and economic development of republic in coming year our parliament accepted the budget with deficiency, and volume of growth of industrial output, by our estimations, in year 2003 should make no more than 3 percents ", - M.Shaimiev explained. In this connection the authorities of republic, by his words, " feel certain fears ", caused by slow rates of updating the fixed capital, and insufficient structural changes in industrial sphere. " By today the effect of 1998 crisis completely has exhausted and this situation would have influence on rates of development of domestic economy in most nearest year ", - M.Shaimiev holds. He is convinced, that a unique way for faster development of a national economy will be rise of production efficiency. At the given stage first of all it is necessary reasonable regulation of tariffs for services from natural monopolies " l, - M.Shaimiev considers. He expects, that in coming year the state and the government will really change the attitude to a domestic commodity producer. " So far the things remain only at the level of declarations. Powerful lobbying of import deliveries is still in effect, first of all, it relates to the output of agrarian sector ", - Tatarstan leader emphasized.

He paid attention to mass intervention of the foodstuffs from abroad while inside Russia there are opportunities of increasing volume of manufacture of own products, especially on a background of a high grain yield received in a leaving year. "Continued import of the foodstuffs does not give an opportunity to develop own agriculture and, as a matter of fact, there is an impasse for domestic commodity producers. The same can be said about the Russian aircraft construction and motor industry ", - M. Shaimiev explained. He considers, that measures undertaken by the government in this area "are insufficient and ineffective".

" If we in the strategic plan are going to protect the interests of domestic commodity producer and aspire to have the advanced industry then in future to deal with these problems will be more expensive, than it could be made yesterday and today ", - M. Shaimiev asserts. He expects that year 2003 for the country should become a year of the beginning of real support for own commodity producer. Otherwise, president of Tatatsyan is convinced, hope on acceleration of production rates appears illusory. " It is necessary as well to understand, that hope only on the favorable prices for oil at the world market and use of natural resources is not a main stream for industrially advanced Russia ", - M. Shaimiev ascertained. Concerning a question, what means personally for him and his family a leaving year, leader of Tatarstan said that his senior son became the champion of Europe on autoraces, having won a gold medal, and younger became the bronze prize-winner. " Against my desire I should be proud of this fact ", M.Shaimiev.